December: Belated Bloom Day!
On actual Bloom Day, I was working like a crazy person on a grant application (which I submitted a full three minutes before deadline). I was inspired by other Chicago-area people to hunt for miracle blooms in the garden this morning, but alas, nothing but dead leaves and milkweed fluff did I find. Still, there's usually something cheerful blooming inside the house. They're all gesneriads but one of these plants is not like the others...
First, a gaggle of Saintpaulias...
I discovered this morning that I can set the brightness of the flash on my camera. I took a series of photos of this lavender guy and found that a setting of -1 1/3 gave the most realistic color without looking overexposed. A setting of +2 gave a crazy yellow blob of light, and -2 actually made the photo darker than not using a flash (figure that one out!). If I learn one new thing about my camera each month, in 10 years I'll actually be good at using it.
Not pictured: I potted up my new amaryllis ($7 at Target, with ceramic pot) over the weekend, and also bought a cheapie red poinsettia from the grocery store. I know "real" plant people scorn poinsettias but I think they're gorgeous and buy one every year. I try to keep it alive after the holidays but the best I've done so far is July. They really don't like to dry out, apparently.
As always - thanks to Carol for hosting Bloom Day!
Labels: aeschynanthus, amaryllis, bloom day, saintpaulia